Objectives: This study examines the prevalence and types of homelessness experienced by sexual minority and heterosexual youth. Then, we examine whether state-level nondiscrimination policies and/or public attitudes on sexual diversity are associated with reduced homelessness among sexual minority youth. Finally, we investigate the differences in health risk behaviors at the intersections of sexual minority and homelessness status.
Methods: We conducted a secondary data analysis using a large population-based sample from 21 states collected in the 2017 and 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Surveys. Self-reported data were obtained from sexual minority (n = 28 405) and heterosexual (n = 136 232) youth through a survey administered in high schools. We assessed the prevalence of homelessness and the types of homelessness. Sexual minority-stratified bivariate and multivariable analyses assessed associations between homelessness, state-level policy and cultural environments, and health-risk behaviors.
Results: Sexual minority youth were significantly more likely (12%) to be homeless compared with heterosexual youth (4.1%). Greater acceptance of sexual diversity at the state-level was associated with reduced homelessness among both sexual minority and heterosexual youth. Finally, homeless sexual minority youth experienced a broad array of health risk behaviors in excess of both nonhomeless sexual minority youth and homeless heterosexual youth.
Conclusions: Sexual minority high school students were more likely to experience homelessness than their heterosexual peers. Public attitudes and greater acceptance of sexual diversity were associated with lower levels of sexual minority homelessness. More research and public health programs are needed to prevent and address homelessness among sexual minority youth.
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